kerlin



2 Smets-sheet 1. P. KERLIN.

GAR GOUPLING.

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 4, 1894.

d J m Y e M l W ATTORNEYS.

2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

F. KBRL1N. CAR OOUBLING,

P.atentedSept.4-, 1894.

.lllll llllll w/msssfs:

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES i YPATENT OFFICE.

FRED KERLIN, OF COLUMBIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,658, datedSeptember 4, 1894.

Application iiled Apm`127,1894 Serial No. 509,179. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRED KERLIN, of Columbia, in the county of Lancasterand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved car coupling whichshall couple cars automatically, and which may be operated to uncouplethe cars either from the side or top of the same, or by the engineer.

It relates to that form of car coupling in which the coupling ypin isheldin elevated position by a spring seated pin which is removed frombeneath the coupling pin by the entrance of the link, allowing the pinto drop through the link to'couple the cars, and it consists in thepeculiar construction and arrangement of devices operating upon theabove general principle, which I will now proceed to describe withreference to the drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical sideelevation of one half of the coupling, and Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe other half, upon the other car. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, andFig. 4 a face view of the parts shown in Fig. l, and Fig. 5 is avertical section, and Fig. 6 a face view of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

A is one of the draw bars which at itsouter end is elongated verticallyinto a head A which is provided with a vertical pin hole, in which playsloosely a long coupling pin a. Through the lower portion of thedraw-head is formed a link throat b, and just back of this vertical headof the draw bar, and hinged to it at the bottom, is a spring seated barc arranged vertically in the middle line of the link throat, anddirectly in the path of the link. This bar c is pressed forwardly by aspiral spring CZ, which is interposed between it and a back plate e, andsaid bar has near its upper end a pin c projecting at right angles andentering a hole in the vertical portion of the draw-head and passinginto the pin hole where it serves the purpose of sustaining the pin inan elevated position, as in Fig. 3.

The outer face of the draw-head is hollowed out to form a tapering mouthto the throat to penetrate the entrance of the link. When such linkenters the throat said link strikes the hinged bar c and, pushing itback against its spring, causes its pin c to be forced back from beneaththe coupling pin, thereby allowing the latter to fall through the linkand couple the cars in an automatic manner.

The coupling pin a is formed with an enlarged head ct Fig. 4c from whichprojects at right angles an arm a2 that passes through a vertical slota3 on a vertical guide standard B that is xed to the side of thedraw-head, and extends a distance above the same far enough toaccommodate the highest position of the coupling pin when raised forautomatic coupling.

To uncouple the cars I provide a lift bar C arranged parallel with andbeside the standard fB and retainedfin a guide or keeper f. The upperyend ot the bar C is adapted to bear against the right angular' arm (120ithe coupling pin and lift it out of the link. (See dotted lines Fig. 4.)To operate this lift bar its lower end is jointedto a horizontal lever Dwhich is fulcrumed upon a hanger E depending from the draw-head. Thislever extends out to the side of the car and may be worked directlyA byhand and it is also provided with a wire w passing over a Vpulley w andrunning to the locomotive by which it may be operated by the engineer,and it is also loosely connected to a vertical bar F which runs throughthe platform of the car and is connected to a rod F that runs to the topof a box car and terminates in a treadle or foot piece t by which it maybe depressed by the foot of the brakeman or conductor.

In each case the pulling down of the outer end of lever D raises thelift bar C and lifts the coupling pin a to uncouple the cars by liftingits arm a2. y

I is a counterbalance weight which serves pFhpld up the outer end oflever D and rods I will now describe the other half of the couplingwhich is designed to be carried by the other car. This portion of thecar coupling has a yoke shaped frame A2, and a vertically elongateddraw-head A3 A4 extending above and below the yoke shaped frame. Theupper and 'lower portions of this elongated draw-head are chambered andprovided with vertically sliding clamp blocks Gr G', the upper one G ofwhich is pressed downwardly IOO IOV

by a spiral spring g within the upper chamber, and the lower one G ofwhich is pressed upwardly by a spiral spring g within the lower chamber.These two spring pressed clamp blocks are designed to pinch vand holdthe link H between them, and cause it to be presented to the otherdraw-head in a detinite horizontal position, so as to insure theY properentrance of the link into the linkV throat. To lock the link in thedraw-head an ordinary coupling pin p is used with a head p large enoughto prevent it from falling v through the hole in the link. This pin isprovided at its lower end with a cross pin or split key to prevent itfrom being accidentally lifted out. Vhen the draft strain is on this pinp bears against the rear side of the elongated draw bar.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure Vby Letters zo Patent, is-

The combination of the vertically elongated draw-head A having verticalVcoupling pin hole through it, and a horizontal pin hole in its rearupper portion, the spring seated bar z 5 1 c hinged in rear of thethroat and extending up above the same and provided with a. pin adaptedto passV into the coupling pin hole, the coupling pin with projectingarm a", the

slotted guide standard B, the vertical lift bar 3o C, and operatinglever D substantially as and for the purpose described.

FRED KERLIN. Witnesses: l

BRUNER KAUFFMAN, H. S. HERSHEY.

